Random Acts of Kindness (RAK) Week 1

Among the many food challenges and other resolutions I have mid-year challenged myself to look outside my own world, and sometimes my own circles of friends and influences and make someone else's life a little happier. I'm going to try and find at least 1 thing/week to share.

It would be great to pass the contagion on to others - to think about and offer out random acts of kindness - for your friends/for strangers but in any case it's my own personal journey and I can't wait!

Some of these offerings will be free, some will cost a few dollars, and others will be a personal sacrifice for me. For every act, though, I hope to enrich my life by finding a focus outside of myself. Very excited for this --- we'll see how it goes!

Week 1 (I'm a little behind): Green cookies on St. Paddy's Day to the local fire department who I KNOW is acutely-familiar with my apartment complex :)
The recipe was from the back of the Costco chocolate chip bag (like 8 pounds!) I had the wild idea to buy? A little lotta green food coloring and voila! They were still warm when I dropped them off...

My "D" (Dan's Hamburgers)

At some point I had to add a burger joint to the list.

While it may be a topic for another time I decided to not go down the road of which divorcee serves the best food - Dan's/Fran's , Tino's/Zorba's , etc. - and opted for the North Lamar Dan's Hamburgers.

The epic people-watching that occurred during this visit was almost as good as the food itself. Everyone from (what I think were) college students in a state that induced the munchies to gentler souls that probably ate at Dan's back in 1973 to first-timers like me, the range of clientele at least made this a promising find. I took some jalapeno cheeseburgers to-go and opted for the curly fries (a no-brainer).

I can't be sure, but the flavor and slight crunch of the jalapenos led me to believe they were fresh until the point they wound up on the skillet when my order came in. Fifteen minutes later I was wishing I'd sat right then and there and not taken to-go...

Not disappointed. Will be coming back - and maybe even checking out their breakfast - another day.

Birthdays

If there's one thing I do well it's revenge...

For my birthday last month, I came home to glow in the dark birthday balloons and a Duck Dynasty sheet cake. Disclaimer: I've never in my life even seen Duck Dynasty.

Lucky for me, my brother's birthday comes a cool 1 month after mine. Plenty of time to plan.

I recruited the help of the girls over at Cupprimo to carry out my plan #siblingrivalry

Favorite: Red Velvet w/cream cheese frosting. Good things were happening in my body when I ate this one. The strawberry had the best natural strawberry flavor in cupcake and frosting I've ever had. I lost out on trying the blue velvet... [Boooooo!] Double chocolate and Primo vanilla? Who does the "standards" well?!

Respect ladies. Mad respect.

Before and After.

Hive Five Cupprimo.

My "B" (Barley Swine)

Barley Swine: mad respect for your ridiculous skills.

And props for giving out mini spatulas...which is much more graceful than licking the plate.

Since a picture's worth a thousand words------

 

From barleyswine.com/food (menu changes frequently)

Nantucket Bay scallop, ponzu, finger lime

Cured lamb loin, cottage cheese, sour rye

Caulifower, pecan, orange

Hedgehog mushroom, pine caramel, trout roe

Golden Tile fish, romanesco, dashi, turnip

Biscuit, apple butter, bacon

Escolar, sweet potato, radicchio

Beet, tangerine, kefir

Duck, broccoli, sesame

Rabbit leg, pinto beans, cornbread, hay

Pupusa, shrimp, escabeche

Hoe cakes, fermented peas, bacon, hot sauce

Whey panna cotta, citrus, beet, coffee

Barley cake, sweet potato, whipped caramel, brown butter

Go. You'll air high-five yourself.

My "A" (Alborz)

I'm catching up with a few goals already checked off my list. The first restaurant on the list - my "A" - was Alborz Persian Cuisine.

I'm cheap I like a deal and ran across this gem through a Groupon dining deal so snagged it pretty quick and dragged my brother along for some quality time around a dinner table.

Dimly lit, and not too loud Alborz is in the corner of a parking lot that I'd never find if I wasn't looking.

We both decided on the Friday night buffet, taking a bit of a gamble, I thought. I've had Greek/Mediterranean so this offered the variety I was hoping for.

The pita was crunchier than I expected from Greek pita bread, the dips and "appetizers" were all strong (first time for must-o-khiar and kashk-o-bademjan). Kabob was slightly dry but it didn't stop us from each having 1 - or 2 - the stews stole the show. Bademjan and gheymeh? nom nom nom...

Additionally, I'm not sure what it's called but the veggies (eggplant, squashes, celery, carrots) baked and marinated were phenomenal. If you're in Austin and craving Persian...do it. 

Apparently later in the night on Fridays they have belly dancers. Next time I'm there I'll definitely make sure I catch that show :)

http://www.alborzpersiancuisine.com/files/85274709.pdf

Goals: Restaurants A-to-Z

One of  the things I've been profoundly disappointed in over the last 5 years of living in Austin is my exploration of the amazing food this city has to offer.

2014 was the year to change that.

Stolen from the idea a friend had, I challenged myself this year to find a restaurant (2 in some cases!) to work eat my way through the alphabet of Austin restaurants.

With moderate obsession I carefully outlined almost every letter before the end of 2013 and I've got, what I think, is a pretty impressive list: from burger joints to food trailers to prix fixe menus and farm-to-table wonders.

It has been, and will continue to be, a delicious exploration and venture. Some of the times I'll sit with friends and laugh, drink, and relax the night away but I'm sure a few chances will exist to people watch and silently reflect on what my palate is currently experiences.

Enjoy! I know I will :)